As I write this, Macron has just been elected President of France. This wasn’t exactly the outcome the Brexiters were hoping for. But I do note a huge difference in the reaction between how the left and right behave in the face of defeat. In less than 12 months, I have had the pleasure of witnessing both.

In the case of Brexit, and as I’ve noted in a previous entry, the left were beside themselves at the result. I saw social media postings ranging from simmering anger to borderline murder ideation.

In both of these cases, it was often said that, had the vote gone the other way, the reaction would have been nowhere near as vocal nor as violent. While I suspected this was most likely true, it remained unproven. Until now, that is.

Of course, there have been past elections where a “centrist” candidate won. However, this latest election comes so close to an opposite win elsewhere that the reactions of each side sit nicely in recent memory.

Sure, there has been some reaction to Macron’s win, but all I’m seeing are quotes from media figures, such as Nigel Farage and Katie Hopkins. The actual “hate” seems to come from the left. It seems quite blatant now. I’m not seeing any organised marches, saying “Le Pen is my President”, as happened when Clinton lost. Has anyone heard of a campaign shouting about the ignored 34%? Somehow I doubt it.

So it seems the Right are more civil in accepting the outcome of a democratic election. The Left, on the other hand only appear to be able to hold it together when things go their way.

There’s an age-group I associate with this kind of behaviour. But that’s the only ad-hominem thing I’ll say.